2 The Five Alone
by Axrat
Summary: After they finished their journey, the Five Children of Destiny returned to Ordon to find it abandoned. They are then separated, Link to war, Ilia and Colin in Ordon, Hanako to find her memories. What happens to The Five when Link is killed in action?
1. Return to Ordon

Author's notes: Dun dun dun dun! The Sequel to 'A Wolf in the Fall of Dusk' has arrived! Hope you enjoy it as much as the last. Anyone remember seeing a bed in Link's house? 'Cause I didn't, so I mentioned it in this. If it's completely wrong, blame my stupidity. 

Ya, I said this wouldn't be out until the end of the month… which is only… about nine days away. I typed this up in an hour out of boredom o-O

**The Five Alone**

The Five Children of Destiny, Link, Ilia, Colin, Hanako and Midna all walked through the Faron Woods. They had been away from Ordon since their journey started, and for Link, Ilia and Colin, this was a well welcomed trip home. Hanako's black hair, which had a slight blue tint in it, flew behind her as she kept darting ahead of the others, her red eyes scanning the area. 

"Hanako!" Ilia yelled out a split second too late as Hanako flipped, and smacked into a tree branch. The Shadow Hylian moaned and got up, rubbing her head. "Poor Arty." Ilia muttered, referring to Hanako's light version. She sighed as the girl who appeared thirteen walked over to them. 

"Done now?" Link raised an eyebrow. Hanako nodded, rubbing a bump on her head.

They continued on through the woods, until they got to the bridge, where Link noticed that something wasn't quite right. He mentioned it to the others, who nodded. They all continued with caution from that point on. When they got to the spring they were shocked to see Ordona lying in the water weakly. Link was the first to rush in.

"H…hero…" Ordona's voice was faint. "Ordon was… attacked… I saw… the Ordonians… fleeing… I tried to protect… them…" The large gold goat looked to Link as he fell to his knees beside its head. 

"Ordona…" Ilia whispered when she got to where Link was. 

"Ilia… Bo asked me… to tell you… that… if you… wish… you may continue to live… in Ordon…" Ordona's voice was faint. Hanako, Midna and Colin all walked up to the others slowly. Link, for the first time, put a hand on the Light Spirit's neck. It felt like something in between air, and something solid. Ordona raised her head, looking at a figure at the gate to the spring, glowing with a green light. Link looked over at the figure, it looked like a Hylian-sized green fairy, only her skin was the colour of a normal Hylian's (even if it was hard to tell), and she had Hylian ears. She appeared to be around nineteen or twenty. Her green hair was tied back and braided with twine. She wore a green Kokiri style dress. Her brown eyes were watching Ordona. 

"Ordona." The woman spoke. "Your actions today were much appreciated, by both me, and the Ordonians." 

"Farore…" Ordona spoke weakly. Link's eyes widened. Farore nodded slowly, confirming Link's unasked question, before looking back to Ordona. 

"I will send you back to the heavens to regain your lost power, Ordona." Farore said calmly. "When your power has returned, I will send you back here." 

"But… Link… who will watch over him?" Ordona had a worried look in its eyes. 

"Do not worry, Ordona." Farore closed her eyes. The Triforce symbol on Link's hand started glowing brightly as Ordona faded from sight. Farore looked to Link with a nod before fading away slowly. Link didn't even blink for awhile, until Ilia tapped his shoulder. 

"We must go." She said to him. He nodded and slowly got to his feet, having a lot to take in. 

They paused in front of Link's house, seeing no damage to it. Link raised an eyebrow at its lack of damage, until they got to Ordon, where doors were either no longer existent, or swinging on broken hinges. Link was looking through the ransacked general store when Colin yelled out.

"Link! There are still goats here!" There was a pause before "One just got loose!" Link sighed, and went outside; darting onto the path he knew the goat would take. He readied himself as the stampeding goat got closer, until it got close enough, when he grabbed its horns and tossed it to the ground, knowing that it wouldn't harm it. He watched to goat get back up, and started leading it back towards the farm, looking at the damaged houses as he did. 

He entered the ranch and closed the gate behind him as the goat rejoined the others. He was shocked to see Epona rushing over to him, stopping in front of him with an excited whinny. Link let out a laugh and walked to her side before climbing into the saddle. He grabbed her reins, gave them a flick, and Epona took off. They circled around the fence, watching the goats. 

Ilia walked up to the gate and leaned against it, resting her arms on the top of it. She watched Link as he rode around, and after awhile, Hanako, Midna and Colin joined her. They stayed there until the sun started setting, you could tell by the look on Hanako's face that she wondered how he kept riding in circles without getting bored, but what she didn't know was that you could learn a lot by watching the goats, and maybe he even enjoyed being home, like before his adventure started again. Link started herding the goats into the stables, and soon every last one was inside. He then stoped Epona, motioning for everyone to move. They all ducked below the gate. 

"It'll work…" Link muttered, spurring Epona, taking off towards the gate. The ginger horse jumped the gate. Everyone watched the horse as it soared over their heads and landed gracefully a little ways away. Link stopped Epona, and turned to face them as they all got up and rushed over. 

"Nice one." Hanako let out a laugh. "I bet I could beat it though." 

"Fine." Link smirked. "Whatever came through left the fences for jumping behind." He paused. "Do you even have a horse?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"I do." Arty walked up to the group from what seemed like thin air. "Hanako, you said your memories have been returning lately, right?" Hanako nodded. "You remember Demon, then, right?" Hanako paused, then smirked. 

"Delcela eaklingeraw?" Hanako laughed. Arty glared, then stood on the tips of her toes in an attempt to tower over her. 

"You challenging _my _horse?!" Hanako got on the tips of her toes. 

"Maybe I am!" 

"Alright, we'll settle it later." Link commented. They nodded, returning to their own heights. The group returned to Ordon, and agreed that since Link's house was the only untouched, they'd stay there until some of the other houses were repaired a bit. Link dismounted Epona in front of his house, allowing the horse to wander. He started up the ladder first, looking at some slash marks on it with a laugh before grabbing a key from his bag and unlocking the door. 

"That explains why your house was untouched." Ilia commented once they were all inside. 

"Ya, I was the only one smart enough to lock the door." Link replied as he climbed up the ladders to the window at the top floor, which was closed with a single piece of wood. He carefully pushed it at the bottom, and caught it when it fell from the window, setting it down near by. He didn't bother climbing down the ladders again, just jumped down to the floor. Colin's eyes widened, and Link stiffed some laughs. Midna had that 'what's with the kid' look on her face, as she had seen Link nearly kill himself by jumping… _several _times. 

Link went through some things in his house before jumping down a ladder to his basement. A faint light emitted from the basement, before it disappeared and Link returned carrying five sleeping mats, and blankets. Ilia looked around. This had been the first time she'd been in Link's house, and she noticed something missing… a bed. Link silently sat the mats down, before climbing the ladders back up to the window and silently looked out it. 

"What's wrong with him?" Midna crossed her arms. 

"This is the first time he's been even slightly at peace, and the first time he's been home for months." Arty commented. "Now that the remains of Ganon's army are gone, things are going to calm down a lot." Ilia nodded in response. Ilia and Colin set up the mats and blankets, Midna found it quite comfortable lying on a pillow, due to her small size (do. Not. Ask.). Colin set the blankets beside the mat, and sat down on the mat, Ilia doing the same. Hanako and Arty on their mats, ignoring the blankets. 

"It's actually nice for a change," Arty commented, laying down and putting her hands behind her head. "I don't remember last time it was I was allowed to sleep with a roof over my head… unless being locked up in prison counts…" 

"What for?" Ilia asked. 

"I'm hunted down by a clan of Shadow Hylians. They're always looking for Shadow Hylians to bring into their clan." Arty replied. 

"Only you're different. Din was your next door neighbour for awhile." Hanako commented. Arty nodded. 

"Along with Nayru and Farore, until Din left for the heavens. Then the other two came to Hyrule." 

"Ever find it weird that the first wish they granted was to a young orphan?" Hanako asked. Arty sat there silently. "Arty?" Hanako looked over at her, noticing her eyes gleaming. "Sorry I said anything." 

"No," Arty spoke, before inhaling deeply. "It's okay." 

Eventually everyone but Link fell asleep, and he climbed down the ladders, walked over to Colin, who was lying sideways on his mat. He straightened the boy up, and covered him with the blanket, before noticing that Ilia had fallen asleep, her blanket somehow ended up across the room. He pondered it, before fetching the blanket, and covering her with it. He stood back up, glanced over at the others, before climbing back up, sitting down and looking out the window, falling asleep with his head leaning against the side of the window sill. 

Ilia was the first to awaken, about an hour before the sun rose. She noticed the blanket covering her, and looked to where Link was. She set the blanket aside and quietly climbed up the ladders, sitting by him. _He always was the loner… _She thought, looking out the window. _He never really hung out with anyone at all… everyone called him an outcast when we were younger… _Ilia jumped as Link stirred and looked at her. 

"You're jumpy." He commented with a yawn. She nodded before looking down below, hearing voices. Hanako and Arty were both awake now, sitting up and talking to each other in hushed voices. Link sat on the edge of the wooden platform with Ilia and watched the two below, barely able to make out what they were saying. 

"What about Sleinr?" Hanako asked. "You've still got his pendant." 

"I dunno…" Arty looked away. "I haven't been to the afterlife lately. Din tells me he's been wanting to speak to me… but with the bounty on my head, I can't get anywhere near the portal." There was a silence, Link was deep in though about what they were saying. 

"… Farore says the spirits always watch… and some come to Hyrule… I wonder…" She looked up. 

"So do I. Adrian and Sawako… gotta miss them." Arty then noticed Link and Ilia. "We're being watched." She smirked, and Hanako jerked her head towards them. 

"How long have you two been watching?" Hanako asked. 

"Only long enough to hear about Sleinr's pendant." Link slid off the platform and onto the ground below. Ilia hesitantly did the same. Hanako's face paled. "Don't worry. I won't repeat it." 

"If you DARE repeat any of it to anyone, mostly Shad, I'll kill you." Arty glared. "He'll go crazy, trust me"

"Alright." Link nodded. "Oh, was either of you going to try and out jump me with the fences today?" He smirked. 

"I will." Arty replied, getting to her feet. "My horse isn't far from here. I can get him and return." 

"Alright, later today though, before I let the goats out." Link nodded, looking over at Colin. "When does he usually wake up?" 

"Before you, usually." Ilia laughed. Link rolled his eyes with a sigh. 

"And that is?" 

"Sun rise." 

"Great…" Link grumbled. Sun up wasn't for another couple of hours, and he didn't feel like jumping while it was still dark. He looked over at Arty, who had a big grin on her face. "Fine… I'll go try to figure out how to set up the fences… in the dark." He noticed Ilia putting her gloves on. 

"No need." She smirked. Link nodded and the two headed outside. 

"I'm going with them." Midna commented. "I don't trust them." She darted out after. 

"When did she wake up?" Arty looked to Hanako, who shrugged. 

"I dunno." 


	2. A Shadow's Appearance

**The Five Alone**

Both the sun and Colin were up by the time Link finally figured it out. Half of that time was spent trying to find where Fado kept the darn fences; the other half spent trying to get them set up. After awhile, Link, with both Ilia and Midna's help, finally got then set up and ready. He looked to Arty, who was standing with Hanako and Colin with no horse besides Epona in sight. 

"Well?" He raised an eyebrow. Arty rolled her eyes, put her fingers to her lips, and let out a shrill whistle. A black horse darted up the path from Ordon, its red eyes gleaming excitedly. 

"_Anela!!" _The horse nickered excitedly, stopping in front of the girl. 

"Hichta Delcela!" Arty exclaimed, patting the horse's head. The horse had no reins, but had a black saddle. Link and Ilia were both wondering what Arty was saying, which was weird, since it was Ilia who was reading all the Ancient Hylian in the temple. Arty then looked to Link, who was standing beside Epona. "You ready?" She smirked. Link nodded before the two mounted their horses, Arty holding onto her horse's mane. 

"I'd like to see if Demon still possesses his strength." Hanako laughed as Arty and Link both rode towards the centre of the field. Hanako and Ilia nodded to each other. "Alright," Hanako started. "You will each go solo once, then you'll race around the course, then you will go solo again. Each time you go you will have to finish five laps, or twenty jumps. Your speed and amount of broken fences will all go into your final score." 

"This sounds like a real tournament." Midna muttered, then looked to Hanako. "How do we know who goes first?" She asked. 

"Who's older?" Hanako smirked. 

"Link!" Ilia looked at Hanako like she was dumb. 

"Wrong!" Hanako grinned. Ilia raised an eyebrow. "Still, Link goes first." Link nodded before heading over to the first jump. "Ready… set… go!" Hanako shouted, Link quickly spurred Epona, and the horse took off over the first jump quickly. Ilia, Hanako and Midna were all counting in their heads, while Colin was too busy watching Link and Epona jumping to care. 

Link finished with a pretty quick time, and returned to the centre. Arty got ready in the same place Link had, as Hanako called for her to start. Everyone but Colin was counting in their heads again. Arty's face was calm and focused on the task, while the black stallion, Demon just looked excited to be galloping with Arty on his back again. Their score when they finished was five points below Link's, and the horses were given a drink before the two readied themselves for the race. Hanako looked to Ilia, who started round two. Link and Arty took off exactly in sync, and it stayed that way until Arty started getting ahead. Link noticed this, and attempted to hold Epona back, but the ginger mare sped up to pass Demon. Epona jumped a split second before Demon, but somehow Demon landed before her. _Magic? _Link glanced at Demon, who showed neither signs of being affected by magic, nor any signs of tiring. Then he looked to Epona, who was the same, only starting to show signs of tiring. 

"Slow down if you need to." Link whispered to Epona, who nickered defiantly. 

Somehow, when they finished Link's score was still barely above Arty's. Arty got to go first on the last round, as Demon didn't seem tired at all, while Epona was near exhausted. Link dismounted Epona and gave her a drink while waiting for Arty. 

When Arty finished, it appeared that it would be a sure win for Link. He and Epona got ready to start, and once they did, it still seemed like they'd win, until Epona had to slow down, and knocked a couple on the wooden pieces on the fences off. Link halted Epona as the finish and jumped off. Arty walked over and gave him a high five. 

"Good job." Arty nodded. 

"Same to you. I don't think I've seen a horse able to beat Epona in jumping or stamina before." Link replied. 

"You give your horse credit. That's good." Arty smiled, before turning back to Demon with a nod. 

"That was surprising." Ilia commented as the others joined them. Link nodded before heading over to Epona and starting to unsaddle her. When he was done he sat the saddle over by the stables. Epona walked tiredly over to the fence and lay down, resting from pushing herself harder then normal. 

Arty waved and left the ranch, her eyes gleaming. Hanako shrugged and followed, while Midna muttered something about not trusting her and leaving. 

"Midna hardly trusts anyone…" Link muttered before letting the goats out for the day and sitting near the horseshoe grass, Ilia then sat next to him. 

* * *

Arty returned to Link's house, entering with Hanako and Midna, then going down into the basement, seeming to walk blindly, but shifting thing around. Hanako sat and watched, somehow seeing perfectly in the dark. Midna was blindly blinking, trying to spot Arty. 

Arty climbed up a set of shelves and grabbed a jar from the top, jumping down and heading back upstairs, Hanako and Midna rushing after. She sat the jar, which was a dusty, greenish brown midsized jar with the Triforce engraved all around it. Arty reached in and pulled out an instrument so dusty you couldn't tell what colour it was, small enough to fit in your hand. 

"Geeze… only seventeen years and this thing is so dusty you can't tell what it is!" Arty exclaimed, before blowing the dust off it, revealing that it was a dark blue with the Triforce symbol at the base of the mouthpiece. 

"What is that?" Midna looked closer. Arty grinned. 

"Does it even play any more?" Hanako looked at Arty, who nodded. 

"I'm sure it does. It's only the Ocarina of Time, after all." Arty smirked. 

"Is it really? Well then, I'll just have to take it from you." A man's voice rang out, the cold sharp of a sword blade against Arty's neck. She spun around, grabbed the blade, drawing blood. Hanako winced, Arty's pain getting increased and passed on to her. Arty growled, looking into two bright crimson eyes, a black scar going over the right one. 

"Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh" Hanako looked like she was about to faint, as the seventeen year old man in front of them brushed his purple hair from his eyes. "SHADOW LINK!" She said in a half-yell half-scream tone. 

Arty stared up the blade of the evil Master Sword at the black hilt, held by Shadow Link himself. 

"I thought you would've died when Lk did." Arty yanked the sword from the Evil Incantation, who rolled his eyes. 

"As long as the Hero's bloodline goes on, I live on." 

"Oh, and when the original bloodline died out you still survived? That makes no sense." Arty then looked to Midna and Hanako. "Get out while you still can. I know what happened to Ordon now." She then looked back to Shadow Link as Midna and Hanako dashed for the door. Hanako glanced back. 

"Careful Arty." She whispered before opening the door and leaving, Midna following. 

"Want me to scar your other eye?" Arty glared. "I hate knowing who you once were. Impa has all right to hate you." 

"What about Saria?" Shadow Link smirked. Arty glared at him. 

"She may be the only Sage who thinks you had reason." 

"The irony." Shadow Link smirked. "So you're being called Arty now? Ha… it fits. Anna Runie Twilight. Should've known. Fron Anna to Aqua to Arty." 

"And Runie." Arty darted to her feet, narrowly missing the blade. She unsheathed the two black bladed daggers at her waist. 

* * *

Hanako and Midna darted back to the ranch, where Link, Colin and Ilia were sitting in a circle, or triangle, talking. They darted up to them, panting. 

"A-Arty's in trouble. I- I don't know what happened. She pulled out some weird instrument, then someone she called Shadow Link-" Hanako got cut off by the three sitting down, who all in unison said:

"Shadow what?" 

"Shadow Link." Hanako repeated. "She called him an 'Evil Incantation' and mentioned that he should've died awhile back." Link raised an eyebrow. "Don't ask me!" Hanako put her hands on her hips. "He did look a lot like you though… only with a black tunic and hat, red eyes… and purple hair." 

"Purple?" Ilia raised an eyebrow. Hanako nodded. 

"And a dark version of the Master Sword." Midna added in. 

"Oh, great. Next you'll be telling me that his sword's the 'Sword of Light's Bane'" Link rolled his eyes. 

"For all we know, it very well could be!" Hanako snapped, then fell to the ground suddenly, unconscious. Ilia looked in between everyone. 

"What just happened?" She raised an eyebrow. Epona got up and rushed over. 

"_Demon says that Arty must've been knocked out!" _Epona whinnied. Ilia repeated it and everyone shot to their feet. Ilia darted over to Demon and lifted Hanako onto the black stallion's back. Everyone darted towards Link's house, dashing in side, spotting Shadow Link picking up Arty's limp body. Link growled, unsheathed his sword and dashed at his shadow version, causing Shadow Link to drop Arty and grab his sword, pointing it towards Link's heart. Five seconds later, Ilia screamed… 


	3. Separations of War

Author's notes: Sorry for the pause, I started 'Chaos Over the Sword' and got lost in that, plus I was waiting to see if anyone who read and reviewed the first in the series, 'A Wolf in the Fall of Dusk' would review this one. It's longer then most of my chapters, just over six Microsoft Word pages.

**The Five Alone**

Ilia screamed, the dark Master Sword had been stabbed through Link's left shoulder, and Link's sword clanked to the ground. Shadow Link grinned, even if he missed his target by I'm not even going to guess. Shadow Link yanked his sword from Link's shoulder, and he fell to the ground, grasping his wound. Ilia's gloves turned gold again, and a flash of light shot from them at Shadow Link. He cried out, grabbed Arty and vanished into whatever shadows there were. Ilia stopped and rushed to Link's side. Ilia looked around franticly.

"Colin! Find some bandages." She barked.

"On the shelves…" Link whispered, and Ilia motioned to the shelves. Colin looked through some things, and unable to find anything, got Midna to help. The Twili princess didn't have to look before passing the bandages to Colin.

"Open your eyes." Midna muttered as Colin rushed over to Link and Ilia. Ilia took the bandages and quickly started bandaging Link's shoulder. Ilia helped Link to his feet, ignoring the Hero of Time's curses.

"Link had a dark version, who would've guessed." Midna commented. Ilia glared at her, and she shut up.

"Arty's missing, and whatever happens to her happens to Hanako… so that puts Hanako at risk." Link growled. Midna looked at the jar Arty had grabbed earlier, and was shocked to see that Shadow Link had completely forgotten the Ocarina of Time. She picked it up and held it up so everyone could see it.

"This is what he said he wanted, but he left it behind." Midna told them. Ilia took the small flute-like instrument and flipped it over in her hands. A knock on the door jolted everyone from there thoughts. Link grumbled and walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" He asked, and the postman's voice rang out.

"It's only me, Mr. Link" Link cringed. "I have a letter from Zelda." Link opened the door, and took the letter before the postman jumped off the veranda and ran off. Link stood there like a stunned mullet for a few seconds (good thing he's not in the author's Japanese class, or he'd get sashimied. XD ) before closing the door and opening the letter, standing there for a few seconds before:

"Apparently one of Hyrule's neighbouring kingdoms has declared war on Hyrule, and Zelda's asked me to join the guards and fight." Link commented.

"You going to accept her offer?" Ilia asked, crossing her arms.

"Do I have a choice?" Link looked at her. "If I don't go, and Hyrule loses, it can be blamed on me. If I go, they can't blame anything on me."

"And if Hyrule wins with you on their side, then you can be called a war hero." Ilia laughed. Link rolled his eyes. "Mr. Link." Ilia added in a teasing tone.

"Shut. Up." Link growled. Ilia nodded.

"Go then. I'll take care of the goats for you. Take care of Epona too; she should be able to go to Hyrule with you by now. She recovers quickly." Ilia told him. He nodded.

"Thanks."

"Oh, if you see any of the Ordonians, tell them we said hi." Ilia added.

"Of course!" Link exclaimed with a smirk, grabbing his bow from the shelves. The four of them went outside, spotting Hanako talking to Demon in the same tongue Arty had been. Hanako glanced up at them as they came down.

"…I must go. There's so much I don't remember, I want to find my memories." Hanako said once everyone was on the ground.

"That's two leaving now!" Ilia sighed. Hanako tilted her head. "Link's been called to go off and fight in a war that just started, and you're leaving too…"

"We'll be reunited soon." Hanako assured her. Link nodded.

"Oh," Midna handed Link the Ocarina of Time. "Show that to Zelda. I'm sure she'll have answers to some of our questions." Link nodded and put it in his pack, before grabbing the Horse Call and calling Epona, who came rushing. Midna sighed. "I'll come with you until you get to Castle Town, just to make sure you don't get stuck as a wolf again." Ilia nodded.

"Good idea, even if it _was _planned by the Six Sages last time." Ilia commented as Midna hid in Link's shadow. "Has she always done that?" Ilia asked as Link mounted Epona.

"Ever you were kidnapped." He replied. "How do you think she knows so much?" He smirked, then noticed Hanako mounting Demon.

"I'll go with until we get to Hyrule Field, from there I'm going to Kakariko." She told Link.

"We'll follow until you get to the field, as well. Don't think you're leaving without saying goodbye." Ilia commented.

"I wasn't planning on it." Link replied with a grin. Ilia nodded and they started at a walking pace towards the Faron Woods, or more exact, Hyrule Field. They paused when they came to the spring, before silently continuing. They eventually came to Coro's house, spotting the pot of soup. Coro waved, and Link politely waved back. When they came to where Hyrule Field started and the Ordon Province ended, they all stopped.

"I guess this is goodbye." Ilia looked down.

"Goodbye's never forever!" Hanako exclaimed. "Although sometimes I wish it was…" She added under her breath.

"We'll be back soon enough." Link assured Ilia, placing a hand on her shoulder. He then looked to Colin. "Behave."

"You sound like my dad." Colin laughed.

"Well he's not here, now is he?" Link grinned, before nodding. "Bye."

"See ya." Ilia nodded, before Hanako started off towards the east, Link to the north.

Link rode on, knowing it would be dusk by the time he got to Castle Town, and he really didn't want to push Epona too hard again. He found it an easy ride, since there were no monsters in the fields anymore. He paused, and looked back.

"I wonder how many people are saying they'll return home when the war's over… and will die in this war…" He looked down ashamedly. Midna appeared beside him, arms crossed.

"Having second thoughts are we?" She raised an eyebrow. He shook his head.

"Naw." He spurred Epona and Midna returned to hiding into his shadow.

The sun met the horizon as they neared the south gate to Castle Town. Link stopped Epona at the stairs and Midna reappeared again.

"I'll be seeing ya then." Midna waved. Link nodded and said his goodbye before the two parted and he started up the stairs.

"Link! Wait!" Link turned, and spotted a green haired child in green clothing running up the stairs towards him.

"Saria!" He turned. "What are you doing here?" He asked as she caught up.

"You haven't seen any of the others yet?" Saria gave him a puzzled expression. He shook his head. "Oh, well we should see then soon then." The two continued talking until they entered Castle Town, finding the paths strangely deserted. They found a large amount of guards in the town square however, and they pushed their way through the crowd to the castle, where they found Zelda outside the doors, waiting for them. Link bowed and she returned the gesture. Saria bowed awkwardly as well. When the three rose Zelda motioned towards the doors.

"The other Sages are waiting for you." She spoke calmly. Saria nodded her thanks and rushed inside, a figure in a black hooded cloak leaving the castle and coming over to them. Zelda looked to the newcomer with a raised eyebrow.

"Again?" She asked. The figure nodded. "Take your hood off, then." The figure hesitantly lowered their hood, revealing familiar red eyes and black hair.

"Arty?!" Link stepped back. She nodded. "But you, I"

"Saw my unconscious body being carried into the shadows my Shadow Link? Ya, welcome to my world." Arty commented. "Only the fifth time this month… you'd think he'd learn." She added with a smirk.

"I guess you would…" Link muttered as the three of them silently agreed to go inside.

Zelda led them to the throne room, where the Six Ancient Sages (Rauru, Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru) were standing around, most of them talking. They all stoped and looked at Link as the three entered. Link nodded politely to them, before Impa, the aged ninja dressed in purple clothing, pulled a familiar sheathed sword from the throne.

"I heard about that traitor Shadow Link's return." She commented, holding the sheathed sword up, before tossing it to him. He caught it with ease, as if it wasn't a sword, but rather a small ball. He unsheathed the sword, looking into the glow of the familiar shining blade.

"Sword of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword." Impa nodded. "It was used to defeat Shadow Link in the Water Temple during the time of the last Hero. As you know, it holds more power then a normal sword." Link nodded in response, sheathing the Master Sword again, and taking his own sword off his back, looking at it for a minute. "I can hold onto that for you, while you wield the Master Sword." Link nodded and handed the sword over to the Shadow Sage before strapping the Master Sword onto his back before the icy voice rang out.

"Someone's still sore." Everyone looked to the shadows in a corner, before Shadow Link emerged.

"SNAP!" Arty cursed. "You followed me."

"Your aura's not hard to track, Hylia." Shadow Link snapped at her, before glancing to Impa with a glare, who returned the look with such. "But no. I came to see why Farore's descendant-"

"You knew?!" Nabooru, a lady in dessert clothing with red hair which was pulled back, held in place with a dull ring, exclaimed. "You knew?!" She repeated.

"My cousin is only Din's descendant!" Shadow Link snapped at the dessert-dweller. The Six Sages all looked to Arty.

"You…" Arty growled at Shadow Link, while Link started feeling out of the loop. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NEVER TO MENTION THAT!" Arty screamed, then paused to catch her breath. "You're not one of us, Shadow. You never will be, ever again." Arty walked up to him, and gripped a silver chain from around his neck. She yanked on it, and Link caught a glimpse of black, before she shoved whatever was on the chain into her pocket. "Make it known that Alec Rune Twilight is dead." Arty then stormed out, leaving a stunned Shadow Link, watching her.

"Who-a who who?" Link spoke finally, looking between everyone. Zelda's reply was a shrug, while the Sages were to busy glaring at Shadow Link, or watching horrified as Arty stomped out. _Why didn't he attack her when she got near… he just let her take the chain without protest… and why'd she freak out when he mentioned his cousin? Isn't he just an incantation of darkness? _Link pondered all this. Shadow Link growled.

"Fine. Don't expect me to leave next time we meet, but I must hunt now. My bounty is escaping." Shadow Link retreated to the corner. Link dashed after him, but hit the wall a split second after Shadow Link vanished. Rubbing his head, he rejoined the others.

"I wonder… if she realises what she just did." Saria muttered. Link looked over at the Kokiri girl.

"In removing him from her family, which only consisted of the two of them, there's no vow keeping him from harming her anymore." Rauru, an older man in yellow and white robes, told him. Link looked at him.

"But, I though Shadow Link was an incantation of evil." Link objected.

"That's what he became." Ruto, a Zora who appeared to be in her teens, told him.

"He was once a normal Hylian, like you or me." Impa told him.

"Only you're not a normal Hylian." Link replied. Impa rolled her eyes.

"You get the point, Link." Impa glared. "His past, I will not go into exacts. Let's say this though, he betrayed us six, betrayed Hyrule, and became one of Ganondorf's minions. After Ganondorf was killed by you, he became a bounty hunter for the Shadow Hylians, but his main mission," She walked over and poked a finger into his chest, "is destroying the Hero's bloodline, even if it will bring his death." Link stepped back, glaring.

"If this war story is a fake to get me into another one of your ways of discovering what another path in my destiny is, then forget it." He growled.

"The war is no lie." Zelda said sadly, looking away. "The Sages coming were not planned, but somehow they heard of Shadow's return before me."

"Ordon's been abandoned, there's no real way for you to know." Link replied. Zelda glanced at him.

"Say what?"

"Ordon was abandoned. Ordona was weakened badly, and called away by Farore-"

"What did you just say?" Zelda asked as everyone looked to Link.

"Farore, she appeared in the spring and said a few things then left after calling Ordona away." He told them, not understanding how it was such a big deal, since he _was _Farore's descendant, although that didn't change the fact that she was the Goddess of Courage.

"Farore hasn't been seen or heard from since the Light Spirits were sent to Hyrule." Zelda explained. "For her to appear just because one was weakened… I don't understand it… Even Din's been heard from more, and Din's known to be the silent one."

"Ordona could barely lift her head when we found her." He told them.

"Who's 'we'?" Saria asked.

"Me, Arty, Hanako, Ilia, Colin and Midna, why?"

"No reason." Saria retracted into silence. "Just wondering who else saw her."

Link looked back to Zelda. "So you wish for me to fight." He commented, and she nodded.

"I don't wish it, though. But I fear that if you don't, Hyrule will be defeated. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked."

"What do you mean?" He crossed his arms.

"I mean that I think we're not just fighting normal Hylians." Zelda looked him in the eye. "Or maybe we're fighting beasts beyond our imagination. Our enemies cloud our vision. We know hardly anything. That is why I want you to fight, Link." Link nodded, wishing that he knew more about his enemy, though.

"Alright…" He replied. "I'll fight, as if I have a say in the matter anyway." Zelda smiled, then shook her head.

"No, you don't have much of one, now do you?" She looked at him, before motioning outside. "The guards are already preparing… somewhat… join them. You will leave with the others at dawn."

"You do realise, if we are facing monsters, it'll be a one man team out there."

"And a girl. Arty is going with." Zelda told him.

"Still, only one man." Link grinned before taking his leave and heading out back into town, where guards were everywhere. He looked at the setting sun, knowing that this time tomorrow he'd be on the battle field with the Royal Guards of Hyrule.

Ilia looked over at Colin, who was just returning to her with scraps of food in his arms, with a sigh.

"That's all that's left?" She asked. The Ordonian boy nodded.

"They either took the rest, or it was taken by whoever attacked." He replied sorrowly.

"I hope it wasn't the latter." Ilia muttered, unaware of something moving behind her, until she felt warm breath on her neck, and noticed Colin backing up, wide-eyed.

"Take them." Shadow Link's voice rang out, as his lips formed a smirk. "I wonder what price the Hero of Time will pay to have them released." The last thing either Ilia or Colin saw, was a flash of fur, before everything went dark. The last thing they heard was Shadow Link's laughing, and a scream from Ilia...


	4. Bloodless Death

Author's notes: Awesome! Some of the readers of 'A Wolf in the Fall of Dusk' returned after posting my last chapter!

Jasmine:

Chapter 1: No, only the first one from A Wolf in the Fall of Dusk. I actually posted this… during Easter. Thanks for that, too. It really helps me think of reasons to continue posting.

Chapter 2: Never Legend of Zelda without Shadow. And yes, I've posted chapter three and now four.

Chapter 3: It's okay. Glad you like the story so far, and no, Link did not realise he had the Ocarina of Time in his house.

**The Five Alone**

Link looked back at town, before at Arty, running a hand through Epona's mane. They were outside the south entrance to Castle Town, waiting for the next group of guards to leave. Many of the Royal Guard and Army were already gone.

"So… you're Din's descendant?" Link broke the silence that lingered. She looked up.

"I'm more then that… I'm next in line for one of the Three Thrones." Link tilted his head. "The Three Thrones are the thrones are like the throne that Zelda sits on, but there is one for each Goddess. I am next in line for the Throne of Power."

"So you're…" Link paused.

"Yes, I am Din's daughter." (hehe. Anyone see the connection?) She looked down. "I will dread the day I leave this land. It's been my home since my thirteenth…"

"How old are you?" Link raised an eyebrow.

"Too old." Was her reply. He was about to ask her something else, when a large group of guards walked towards them.

"It's time to go." Said the apparent leader. Link nodded and mounted Epona, while Arty whistled, causing many of the guards to cover their ears. A few moments later, Demon shot out from the trees, stopping in front of Arty. Link shook his head with a laugh as she mounted the stallion.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" She exclaimed once she had mounted. "Let's go!" She spurred Demon and dashed off. "Catch me if you can!" Link laughed, then spurred Epona off after her. The guards shrugged and marched on, following the two riders.

Link wasn't sure how long they continued on, but they eventually left the borders of Hyrule. Link wondered how they left Hyrule without first going through the dessert or over Snow Peak, but decided not to say anything. They spotted smoke on the horizon, but Arty spotted the guards first, however. When they came to the camp everyone was on edge, when Link asked why they pointed to fires on the horizon.

"They're coming." Arty growled, before spurring Demon and vanishing into a group of tents. Link dismounted Epona, and walked to the edge of the camp, in the direction the fires were in. He sat on a boulder and waited.

The fires got closer, revealing the enemy army approaching with inhylian speed. He cursed and darted into the camp, alerting the guards. Arty grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Those aren't normal Hylians. We may as well fight them alone." She said quietly. "There are Shadow Hylians in their midst." He nodded, before returning to where he left Epona, mounting the ginger mare and taking off back to the edge of camp, where guards were gathering. He watched, trying to spot a leader, before noticing that a figure wearing a black cloak seemed to be in charge. Arty darted up to him on Demon with a curse, before three other cloaked figures walked up to the leader, each with a prisoner.

"NO!" Arty and Link exclaimed, looking at the prisoners. One had Hanako, another had Ilia, and the last had Colin, each gagged with their hands tied behind their backs. He growled, and ignoring the guards, he and Arty spurred their horses, taking off towards the army. Arty jumped off Demon, and landed in front of the leader, grabbing the hood of his cloak and pulling it off him with inhylian speed. Link stopped Epona with wide eyes, now that the cloak was off the leader, it was apparent that the leader was Shadow Link. He jumped off Epona, and grabbed the Master Sword, slashing at the cloaked figure with Ilia, ignoring the girl's wide eyes. The cloaked figure fell to the ground, dead. He pulled the gag off Ilia, before gripping her arm and turning her back to him.

"Stay still." He ordered, raising his sword and slashing the ropes binding her hands. Ilia smiled, and nodded, pulling her gloves from her bag on her knee and throwing them on.

"I'll get Colin and Hanako, you get Shadow Link." Said Ilia. He nodded, noticing that the Royal Guards were rushing towards them. He darted at Shadow Link, who was preoccupied fighting Arty.

"Duck!" He shouted, jumping. Arty leaned back, doing the bridge to dodge one of Shadow Link's attacks. Link landed on Shadow Link's sword clumsily, but managed to keep his balance. He slashed at Shadow Link, but ended up getting thrown. He slid on the ground for a few feet, before getting back up, mud covered. By now the Hylian army was half way there…

He dashed at Shadow Link again as Arty grabbed the two black bladed daggers from their sheaths at her sides. She blocked one of Shadow Link's slashes, giving Link time to attack while his shadow form was preoccupied, but Shadow Link somehow noticed him and darted into the shadows, vanishing.

"Coward." Arty spat, before looking at Ilia, who was comforting a much shaken Colin. Hanako walked over to them, looking down.

"I saw them getting captured in a dream, so I rushed to Ordon as quick as I could. They were both tied up by the time I got there." She looked away. "I ended up getting captured as well…"

"You tried." Arty commented. "And no one, besides the enemy got hurt." She smirked, then noticed that Shadow Link's army was darting up to them, while the Royal army was right behind them. "Let's go." They all nodded.

Link dashed in to the fray which was unfolding, slashing the Master Sword at anyone one on the other side he saw. A ways away he saw people falling to bright flashes of light, and laughed. _Ah Ilia… determined as ever. _He smirked, before getting a slash on his right arm, near his injury from Shadow Link. He growled, turning to see who got him, but his attacker was gone. He growled, before darting further in.

Ilia paused from her fighting, looking behind her, noticing that Colin was no longer following her. She grumbled under her breath, before Hanako rushed up to her.

"Ilia, Link's vanished." She pointed out towards the centre of the commotion. "He was out there, but he vanished just a minute ago."

"He'll be fine." Ilia shouted back over the commotion. "Trust me." Hanako nodded.

"Colin went back to the camp with Arty after getting a bad gash on his arm. Arty's taking care of it though." She told her. Ilia nodded, before killing one of the enemies with a flash of Light Magic.

"Let's find Link once we get a chance." Said Ilia, and Hanako nodded in reply, before they continued fighting.

The enemies had retreated from lack of troops by the time Ilia and Hanako could look for Link. The sun was setting, making the sky a golden colour. All of the Royal army was returning to the still growing camp. They split up and asked around, but no one knew where Link was, so they left the camp and searched the battle field, which was littered with bodies, mainly the opposing army's, and followed a trail of blood on a hunch. Surrounded by a pile of bodies, lying in a pool of his own blood in his now blood soaked green tunic, was Link, face down.

"Link!" Ilia rushed over and rolled him onto his back. His face was covered in bruises, his arms and torso in worse condition, covered in gashes, and his tunic was torn. Ilia picked him up, and nodded to Hanako before darting back towards the camp, her clothes getting drenched in Link's blood. Hanako ran behind her, heading to the medical tent. When they got to camp, guards looked at them with either shocked or puzzled expressions on their faces, wondering what had happened to the Hero of Time.

When they got to the medical tent, they were approached by a man with brownish hair, who looked at Link with surprise, before allowing Ilia to silently lie him down on a bed. She nodded to the man, before leaving. Hanako looked over to a corner, where Arty stood, her red eyes looking over at Link with worry. Colin was asleep on the floor beside her, content with not knowing anything going on around him.

"What happened?" Arty asked Hanako while the man, who was apparently the doctor. Hanako shook her head.

"I don't know. We found him lying on the ground like this in a pool of blood." Hanako replied. Arty looked down, before the two girls left to find where Ilia went.

The three of them returned to the medical tent a few hours later, finding that not a single bed was empty.

"How will we fare when we're attacked again?" Arty mumbled, watching Ilia go over to Link, who had his eyes open weakly.

"Link…" Ilia smiled sadly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "How are you?"

"I've been better." He replied weakly. "What happened during the battle?"

"We depleted their numbers to the point where they had to retreat for now. They'll be back again though." Ilia told him. Link nodded weakly, as if suspecting such.

They stayed there for hours, each taking a turn talking to Link. In that time Colin woke, and took his turn to talk with Link. Ilia sat beside his bed once everyone had fallen asleep, and laid her head by him

"Be careful, Ilia. Take care of Colin, too. You have my best wishes." Link breathed before his breathing slowed to the point of stopping. She raised her head and shook his shoulder.

"Link? Link? Link?! LINK?!" She shook his shoulder harder, and the doctor rushed over, placing a hand on the side of his neck, before closing Link's eyes and shaking his head. "No…" Ilia looked at Link, then darted out of the tent.

Ilia left the camp, grabbing a knife, and sat on a boulder near the bodies that lie near where they found Link. She threw the knife at the one that was nearest to the pool of blood, and looked away. _He's dead… _She bit her lip, fighting back tears. The last months had renewed their friendship, which had been weakened when she lost her memory, something they repaired when he returned. She felt something nudge her shoulder, and looked over it at Epona. She smiled sadly and patted the mare's forehead.

"It's not going to be the same now…" She looked away. "You can't have four Five Children of Destiny. You just can't." She slammed a fist on the boulder, starting to hate Zelda for asking Link to fight in this stupid war. She got up and walked back to camp with Epona following.

When she returned Arty darted up to her.

"Ilia! We've been looking all over for you!" She exclaimed. Ilia shrugged. "It's okay, Ilia. You're not the only one upset." Ilia pulled away.

"Why wasn't he found? He was alive until just now! If someone had found him, he'd probably still be alive!"

"Have fun, moping." Arty vanished into the tents. Ilia walked over to the tent that the Children of Destiny had been given, and lay down on one of the beds, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Link moaned and sat up, noting the change in setting. He was lying on some clouds before three golden stairs, atop which lay a wolf, watching him with soft, red eyes. It's fur was black, with red markings around it's face, eyes, ears and paws.

Link. A pure voice rang in his head, a girl's voice. Link.

"Yes?" He spoke. The wolf watched him carefully.

The Hero was here up until a few hours ago, when he got bored of waiting for you to wake up, and left.

"Who are you? And where?"

I am Din's servant. I lie in front of you. He looked at the wolf, which rolled its eyes. It took you long enough.

"Sorry." He stood up and stepped onto the path, partly out of fear of the clouds giving way. "What do you want?" The wolf got up and walked over to a golden door with the Triforce engraved on it.

_Follow me. _The wolf pushed the door open, and darted inside. Link darted up the stairs after it, finding that the golden path continued. He darted off after her, the door closing with a 'thunk' behind him.

The wolf led him to a fork, taking the left path towards a silver double door on a round building. It pushed the door open, darting inside. He rushed in after it, watching it rush up to a woman about twenty with red hair, which was held back by a golden ring. He also noticed Farore standing across a table from the red head, and a woman, around the other's ages, with blue hair which was allowed to hang loosely, not held back by any means. He then noticed something in the shadows of the corner, swearing that he saw himself.

"Link! Welcome." Farore spoke as the wolf darted over to the red head, who patted it's head.

"Thank you, Alsera." The red head whispered.

"Link," Farore continued. "These are my sisters, Din and Naryu." She motioned to the red head, then the one with blue hair. "And in the shadows," She motioned to the corner. "Is my son, the original Hero of Time." He watched as I stepped from the shadows, noting that we looked the same, only he was couple years younger. He nodded in respect, before turning back to Farore.

"How exactly did I die?" Link asked Farore, who sighed.

"Loss of blood. You were outnumbered in battle, but managed to kill your attackers. You collasped from blood loss, and when dusk fell, Ilia and Hanako found-"

"Ilia!" Link smacked his forehead, wondering how he could've forgotten about her. "What happened to her afterwards?"

"I cannot tell you that yet, Link." Farore replied. "As I was saying, when dusk fell, Ilia and Hanako found you lying unconscious in a pool of blood, most of it your own. They rushed you back to the camp and to the medical tent, but you died with Ilia at your side that night, I can say this, morning is approaching, and she lies in bed, fighting tears."

Link looked stung for a second, wishing he hadn't died, wishing Ilia wasn't so upset. _She's the strongest of the remaining Five Children of Destiny... _


	5. Magic and Archery

**The Five Alone**

No one spoke to Link, and we could all see the look of desperation on his face, knowing he didn't like what he was hearing. Farore placed a hand on his shoulder, but he simply looked away. Alsera looked up at him, her, yes, _her_, soft red eyes full of sorrow.

_I'm sorry, Link. _She nudged his hand. He smiled at her, seeing a bit of familiarity in her eyes, then shook it off, looking at Farore with a nod. I smiled, glad to see he accepted the truth.

"I guess..." He paused. "What's done is done. I cannot change it. Ilia will have to move on, as I will do." He looked up with determination blazing in his eyes. Alsera barked, and Farore smiled, stepping back.

"Then," She paused. "I can show you the rest." She motioned towards the door, he followed close behind before the two left.

"Think he meant what he said?" Din asked. "Or is he just trying to deny himself?"

"I think," I spoke. "It's a mix of both. He may mean part of it, but in the end he's just denying the fact that he wants to go back, as I did when I first died."

_I know him better then you two. I protected him and the other five for as long as I could, he's not the type to deny himself like that, trust me. Even ask Ordona, she'll tell you the same thing. _Alsera told them. _Don't doubt him. It'll be the last thing that you'll say to him. _

Farore led Link down the other path of the fork in the golden path, comming to a large stadium type training area, with archery targets down one end, and a sparring area down the other. She quickly led him through some hallways in the side of the wall.

"You may want to be careful when wandering alone. The Dinian House have known to be... aggressive towards my own and Nayru's houses."

"What house am I in?" Link asked, watching Farore as she led him through a low lit hall.

"My own. Every Hero of Time has been placed in mine, along with anyone who has my blood in their veins, or the Triforce of Courage. You fall under all three catagories. Plus, my Light Spirits took the duty of watching over you themselves." She told him. He nodded.

She led him to a locked door. She muttered something and opened the door, motioning him inside. When they were both inside, she closed the door behind her.

The room was low-lit, with a navy blue dome ceiling, looking like the night sky, complete with stars. The floor was the same as the walls and ceiling, making it look like you were floating in space. In the centre of the room, was a golden table, only with a deep indentation in it, where a silver liquid lie motionless. Farore walked over to it, and he stood across from her.

"You wish to see Ilia?" She looked at Link, who nodded. "Tel esu wehow Ilia esi." She spoke in a language simmilar to Ancient Hylian, but Link noticed a few differences in it. The silver liquid turned gold, before clearing to a mirror, except showing Ilia with Hanako, fighting back to back with her. Ilia's gloves were glowing bright golden, and she shot bursts of Light Magic at her foes, eyes burning with anger. Link watched her carefully with growing sorrow. At her belt, her sword had returned, and a bloody knife rested on her other hip. The image faded, and Link looked to Farore.

"It would pain you to see any more." She spoke, then headed for the door. "I will allow you to watch her for a little while every once in a while, at least until the war is over, when I will teach you the langauge needed to use that." She opened the door, and the two left. She vanished with a gust of wind. Link binked for a few seconds, before heading back in the direction Farore brought him.

He returned to the training area, spotting a raven haired girl appearing about fifteen watching him with silver eyes. She got up and stormed over.

"You!" She growled, glaring at him. "You're Farore's descendant. We're got another. Great. Everytime one of the Goddesses' descendants show up, they think they can order the rest of us around like slaves!" She went on for awhile, before Link started paying attention again. "Take that... Arty girl for example. Din's daughter. Pah! I doubt she's even a Hylia!"

"Explain why she has every single Shadow Hylian chasing her, including Shadow Link." Link snapped, arms crossed.

"She's good with magic, I'll give her that." She glared. "You couldn't have been any slower, killing Zant and Ganondorf, now could you?"

"What?" She had caught Link off guard; asking him the one thing he didn't expect.

"I died while you were running around the Twilight as a wolf with that stupid Twili on your back!" She snapped. He blinked, realising what problems he was going to have here with people who died while he was trying to save Hyrule. He was about to come up with a come back when another girl, this one only around thirteen or fourteen, with black hair that ran down her back, like Arty's, darted upto them. Around her shoulders was a red cloak, bound at her neck with a brooch, which had a red sapphire in the centre. Her eyes were a soft red, like Alsera's.

"Alina!" The newcommer barked.

"Alsera."

"Alsera?" Link looked at the newcommer. "But, you were a wolf when I got here."

"I can transform when I want." Alsera replied, before glaring at Alina again. "I thought I told you to leave the other houses alone."

"You have less say over me then Arty, Alsera. At least Arty's actually the heir. You're just Din's servant!" Alina snapped.

"I still have power over you!" Alsera gribbed a handful of Alina's hair. "Leave, him, alone. You wouldn't have lasted five seconds in his shoes."

"What about you, Alsera? How long would you have lasted?"

"At least I survived the Twilight."

"You still died."

"No, I didn't."

"Then why are you here?"

"Arty brought me here, Alina. I don't think you can say that."

"At least I came here honestly."

"I'm placing you under watch, Alina." Alsera released Alina's hair. "You shall not leave your quarters unaccompanied." Alina turned on her heels and stormed off. Alsera then turned to Link. "Don't let her get to you. She's been that way ever since she died. She's one of the trouble makers in the Dinian House." She walked towards the archery targets, and he followed. "You still have your bow, right?" She looked at Link. He nodded and pulled it out, holding it up. She smiled, grabbing a longbow made from black wood from a wall of bows of every time and seemingly, every colour. They had names ingraved on them, many writen in other langauges, but the one on the black bow was in bright red, which appeared to dance like fire in the light. _Arty. _

"Is that Arty's bow?" Link asked as he watched Alsera string it. She nodded.

"Aieyep. She made it herself, too. She's allowed me to use it when she's not around." She replied, grabbing a black quiver full of arrows with navy shafts, which had red stripes on them, and black feathers. She reached up to the brooch and unclipped her cloak and folded it, revealing her red shirt and black pants. She sat the cloak down near the bows, and motioned to on of the targets.

"You up for a challenge?" She grinned.

"Of course." Link grinned, and she walked upto a white line, from which the target looked like the size of a marble. Link smirked, grabbing the Hawk Eye mask thing from his bag, and putting it on. Sure, he looked... dorky, to say the least, with it on, but oh well, it helped him see the target. Alsera smirked, nocking an arrow and pulling the feather to her ear.

"Din's..." She released the arrow. "FIRE!" Half way down the path to the target, the arrow caught on fire, blazing right through the target, after which the fire extinguished itself and lodged itself in the ground behind the target. Link took the mask off with a shocked expression, before someone walked up to the target and examined where the arrow peirced it.

"As far as I can tell..." They paused. "Alsera got a bullseye with a Fire Arrow!"

Alsera got a cocky grin on her face, before the target returned to how it looked before she shot at it, with no damage on it at all. The person down the end moved as Link nocked an arrow, ignoring the mask, remembering when he hit a wooden pole without it. He released the arrow, watching it zip away. _I have nothing as impressive as that Fire Arrow, or Zelda's Light Arrows, but I may be able to hit the target... _He thought, before his mind was swamped with two words.

"Farore's... wind." He said calmly. The arrow vanished and reappeared dead centre. Alsera looked at him with wide eyes.

"Did you even aim that spell?"

"No, why?" He looked at her.

"Because, even with years of practice, many of any of the houses can use Farore's Wind with such accuracy! The only exceptions are Farore and her son!" She exclaimed. Link looked down the field at the target. _Wow... and to think, the only magic I've used was teleporting and transforming, but that was Midna who did that for me... not me myself... _He smiled, eyes closed, pleased with what he did.

"Ah... to think, I've never used magic in my life." He commented.

"You're kidding, right?" Alsera scoffed. He shook his head. "Stupid Hylia." She grinned, shaking her head.

"Alsera! Alsera! Alsera!" A young boy, appearing only around ten, ran up to Alsera, panting. "It's not fairing well. Hanako calls your name." Alsera nodded, grabbed her cloak, and darted off after nodding to Link.

"Hanako calls her name?" Link looked to the boy, only to see that he was gone. Link gulped, wondering what was going on with the remaining four of the Five Children of Destiny...

* * *

Hanako looked to the camp in the midst of another battle, spotting Arty on Demon darting towards them, stopping nearby.

"You're back, Arty!" Hanako exclaimed.

"Ya, where's Ilia?" Arty looked around, trying to spot the Ordonian girl.

"Over there, where the bursts of light are comming from." Hanako pointed to a flash of light in the middle of a group.

"SNAP!" Arty spurred Demon, and jumped over several guards, darting towards Ilia. _If I let her die too... I'll lose Link's trust..._


	6. Wings Save Lives

Replies:

Jasmine (I hope I spelt that right... computer's messed up) : Uh... ya... right... Thanks for reviewing, though.

NOTE TO ALL READERS: **YES! I KILLED LINK! SHUT UP ABOUT IT ALREADY! **Thank you.

Author's Notes: This goes back and forth between Ilia and Link a bit, so try not to be too confused. Also, if you absolutly hate LinkXIlia so much you can't read it, then stop reading this now. This would have to be the most LinkXIlia I've been since I started playing Twilight Princess when it came out.

**The Five Alone**

Arty leaped off Demon, knocking two of the Shadow Hylian's army to the ground. She unsheathed her daggers, and dashed at one, both daggers ready.

"Din's..." She sped up, and when the daggers were milimetres from a Shadow Hylian, continued "FIRE!" She stabbed them through his heart, and a fire shot from his eyes, ears and mouth. He then vaporized into nothingness. She looked at Ilia, who watched her. Hanako nodded, getting such in responce. They stood back to back, Ilia shooting bursts of Light Magic, and Arty burning things to a crisp by using Din's Fire with her daggers.

No one was sure how long the battle lasted, but the results were simmiliar to the last; Ilia destroying most of the enemy, forcing them to retreat. Ilia returned to the camp silently riding on Epona, whom she had found in the mist of fighting. She looked to the sky, swearing she saw a cloud shaped like the mark on Link's hand. Ilia shook her head, thinking it was just her head playing tricks on her. _I need to take a break... this is getting to the point of madness. _

It went on like that for Goddesses knows how long, before the defenders won the war, celebrating over it. Ilia snuck from the camp in the middle of the night, away from the drunk soldiers. She stood on an outcrop, looking out at the body covered battle field. _May this place be haunted by our enemies... the ones who killed Link... may they never find peace. _

"Ilia." Arty walked up to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let go of your anger. It will only cause you more grief. Link has moved on, to the land of his ancestors."

"I know... but..." Ilia looked up. "It's hard to believe he's gone." Arty was silent, and it took Ilia a while to notice she was gone.

"ARROWS!" Voices rang out in the camp. Ilia looked up and gasped, watching a volley of arrows shoot right at her.

* * *

"ILIA!" Link was watching through the liquid at the table with Farore, watching Ilia, before looking to Farore, who watched his actions.

"Follow me." Farore waved her hand over the liquid, and it stopped. She headed out of the room, Link following.

She led him out of the training area, down the path, and out the doors to where he woke, then past that to the edge of the clouds, she motioned to the edge.

"Earn your wings and fly. Only Ilia and Arty will be able to see you." She walked off, Link watching her nervously. He looked over the edge of the clouds, into a blue sky below. He gulped, before closing his eyes and jumping off the edge.

He opened his eyes after free falling for at least five minutes, to find he was now floating. He looked over his shoulder, finding that he now had a pair of golden wings, which glowed in the distant sun. He reached out and touched each wing, making sure they were real. He found them feathered, like a bird's wing, but the feathers felt like dragon scales, although the phrase 'light as a feather' matched each one. He managed, after Farore knows how long, to figure out how to flap his wings, smiling. He folded his wings, finding they folded like a dragon's, on either side of him, and plumited.

He watched the blue zip by below him, like he was being sucked into a vortex, before unfolding his winds by instinct, and hovering above the dark fields. He saw Ilia sheilding her head with her arms as the arrows zipped down towards her. He flew off as fast as he could towards her, managing to get to her before the arrows, and wrapped his wings around her to sheild her. She looked up into his eyes, dropping her arms.

"L...Link?" He nodded. "I... but... you died"

"I did." He replied. "I've been watching you, Ilia. I saw the arrows and came to protect you. Their points hold poisons" He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "You're the only one who can see, feel or hear me, Ilia. So don't tell anyone." He felt arrows pelting against his wings, but not damaging him in anyway. He sat there with Ilia for at least five minutes before moving his wings and folding them. "The arrows are gone. Return to camp, you'll be safe there." He rose. Ilia got up and nodded to him.

"Thank you, Link." She smiled, before looking back to camp, where voices were comming from. "They'll be looking for me now." She looked down.

"Go, before they worry too much about you. Besides, Arty, for some strange reason, can see me. I must return to the afterlife now." Link motioned to the camp, before he unfolded his wings, spreading them as far as he could. He nodded to Ilia as soldiers came into veiw, before flapping his wings once and taking to the clouds, stopping just below the cloud line. He watched as a group of guards, plus Hanako, Arty, Colin and Midna, darted up to her.

"You okay?!" One guard asked Ilia. She nodded.

"The volley of arrows was... pourly aimed." Ilia replied, comming up with the best lie she could.

"Thank Din!" Arty ran her fingers through her black hair. "I though we'd lost you for sure there!"

"Ya! Then we'd only be three!" Colin added.

"COLIN!" Hanako and Arty snapped at the boy.

"It's okay." Ilia shook her head. "I've moved on. Link would've wanted that." Arty and Hanako blinked at her, before Arty smiled.

"Ilia, I'm glad. By the fire of my heart, and the power of my blood, I promise you that Link is proud." Arty bowed. _Fire and Power... _Link paused. _ALSERA! _He smacked his forehead, noticing that Arty shot a look his way when she rose, before she looked back to Ilia. "Let's get you back to camp." Ilia nodded, and the group headed to camp. He smiled, flapped his wings, and took off into the sky.

He flew through the sky again for several minutes, before spotting the edge of the clouds, and gripping onto it, folding his wings from exaustion. He started to pull himself up, when a hand gripped his and pulled him up. He looked into two eyes, the same colour as his own, my eyes.

"Oh... it's you." He smiled, before getting up on his feet. I got up and examined his wings.

"I see you found your wings."

"What about you? Where are your wings?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I never had a need for them."

"Oh..." I walked off after he said that.

He walked back through the doors Alsera took him through when he first arrived, finding the wolf lying near by.

"But... you were just..." He stuttered.

_I am faster on my wings, Link. _

"Okay..." He raised an eyebrow.

_Ilia's thankful. Thankful that you saved her, and thankful that she got to talk to you again. _

"I don't doubt that." Link replied.

_Watch over her, Link. I've talked to Farore and she's agreed to teach you how to watch her. _

"Okay." He walked off, ignoring any further comment from Alsera, who quietly watched him walk towards a golden coloured castle, which had appeared in the distance.

He walked up to a green door at the golden castle, and placed a hand on it, closing his eyes. "I am Link, Hero of Time, Blue Eyed Beast, one of the Five Children of Destiny, and heir to the Throne of Courage and Wind." The door opened into a bedroom, to his relief. It was themed with greens, making it all together a darker room. He closed the door behind him, and plopped down on the dark green blankets. He looked up at the brick ceiling, closing his eyes. He sat there for a few minutes before the door opened again, as Farore entered the room.

"What do you want?" He asked, not looking at her.

"Colin's dieing."


	7. Messing With Fate

Author's notes: Eh... short chapter.

Replies:

Jasmine: No you didn't make me mad, only confused.

OH NO! If that's true then you missed the cliffhanger at the end, or at least what I think you mean. Must be your computer or something... unless someone else has this problem:

_**Watch over her, Link. I've talked to Farore and she's agreed to teach you how to watch her.** _

**"Okay." He walked off, ignoring any further comment from Alsera, who quietly watched him walk towards a golden coloured castle, which had appeared in the distance.**

**He walked up to a green door at the golden castle, and placed a hand on it, closing his eyes. "I am Link, Hero of Time, Blue Eyed Beast, one of the Five Children of Destiny, and heir to the Throne of Courage and Wind." The door opened into a bedroom, to his relief. It was themed with greens, making it all together a darker room. He closed the door behind him, and plopped down on the dark green blankets. He looked up at the brick ceiling, closing his eyes. He sat there for a few minutes before the door opened again, as Farore entered the room.**

**"What do you want?" He asked, not looking at her.**

**"Colin's dieing."**

**The Five Alone**

Link looked at Farore, not believing what she was telling him.

"What?"

"Colin's dieing, Link. Follow me." She opened the door. He jumped up and followed her. She led him to the room with the silver liquid, and spoke quietly, waving a hand over it. A picture of a group of guards darting towards a camp, no where near the battle field, appeared. Link noticed what one was carrying. A weak, and shaking Colin, while Ilia and Hanako were behind them, watching a unmistakable giant spider. _A Skulltella! No! Colin..._ He shook his head. _Colin couldn't have been bitten! _

"Let me go. I cannot let Colin die." Link growled.

"You're not going anywhere. If Colin is to die then so be it." Farore ordered. Link growled, and darted out the door, running as fast as he could through the traning area, and down the golden path. He stopped at the edge of the clouds as I darted up to him.

"You're going to save the boy, aren't you?" I asked.

"Why not?" He looked at the edge.

"You'll fall."

"So?"

"So, you're not going alone. I remember when I was like you. The only thing that stopped me was a fairy who wouldn't shut up."

"Sounds like Midna." He shook his head, before looking back to me. "We going?" I nodded. He exhaled sharply. "Three..."

"Two..."

"ONE!" We jumped just as Farore rounded the corner after us.

We fell for quite awhile, before we landed with thuds onto the ground. I managed to land with a roll, reducing the fall. He ended up smacking into the ground. I sighed and helped him up, before we spotted the group of guards in the distance.

"There!" He pointed, then spotted Ilia evading the Skulltella's attacks. "DANG IT!" He dashed forwards without thinking. I watched as his wings vanished. _Farore took his wings from him... _He pushed Ilia to the ground as the Skulltella went after her, causing it to do a double take. He unsheathed the Master Sword, which, at this point, I was surprised he still had. He backstepped, before jumping, bringing his sword down in a downward slice. The Skulltella flinched in surprise, giving him enough time to land a spin attack, winding it. Link then landed an Ending Blow, killing it as it went up in smoke.

"I thought..." Ilia looked at Link, then to the black smoke where the Skulltella once was. "You were dead... and we killed the last of Ganondorf's minions..."

"That wasn't Ganondorf's." I put in. "If it was, the smoke would be gone by now." I watched Link clean the Master Sword on the grass before sheathing it. "It's more likely a Shadow Hylian's."

"Any monsters out of Ganon's control didn't die." Hanako started. "Just like-"

"Liz." I cut her off. She nodded.

"I didn't know you knew about Liz." She commented.

"I nearly killed her once, before Arty told me about the rebels."

"Ah..."

"I didn't know Lizalfos came in shes." Link muttered. I grinned, then shook my head. Link then snapped back to reality.

"Where's Colin?" A guard came forward, carrying a weak and shaking Colin, and lying him in front of Link, who kneeled down next to the boy. "Colin, can you hear me?" The Ordonian boy gave a slight nod. Link placed a hand on Colin's forehead, before muttering something under his breath. His hand emitted a green glow, and a voice seemed to ring from it, in a language no one knew anymore, before I realised what he did.

"...I didn't know you knew how to do that..." I watched, amazed, as the boy's shivering came to a halt. Colin weakly opened his eyes, and smiled at his idol.

"Thank you... Link." He breathed, before going limp. Ilia cried out in surprise, jumping back and fearing the worst.

"He's only unconscious." I told her. She nodded, reliefed. As the guard picked Colin back up and rushed away, Link got to his feet, spotting a blue figure in the distance, which at first he thought was a poe, before it became apparent that it was a spirit, not like those Link saw in the Twilight, but an actual spirit.

"_You mess with fate..." _It spoke, but only Link heard. "_I mess with you._" He was shot backwards with a cry of shock, back flipping in the air and landing face first on the ground. He got to his hands and knees, teath bared and letting lose wolf-like growls...


	8. Curses of a Bloodline

Author's notes: Sorry I vanished. I had this typed up then the computer crashed and it didn't save and... I won't bore you with useless excuses.

Replies:

Jasmine: Not a problem. Anything for a loyal reveiwer... almost anything, anyway.

**The Five Alone**

"LINK!" Ilia gasped. I, on the other hand, never looked away from the spirit in the distance.

"You... traitor." I growled. "If I was not under oath to protect you, I would kill you here and now."

"_Oh, but I know you wouldn't, Link of the Kokiri Tribe." _Everyone heard her that time. "_You know what that makes you? An outcast of an outcast race._"

"SHUT UP!" I growled. "Now you're insulting the race of the Forest Sage. Such a leader you are."

"_Saria knows what I think of her race._"

"...The Seventh Sage..." Saria's voice came from behind me. I turned, and her green eyes met mine. "Link? How?" I pointed to Link. "Oh."

"We're in confusion hell." I commented.

"Heh..." Saria shook her head, before an angry howl rang out. We looked back to Link, spotting him in his wolf form, howling angrily.

"Link..." Ilia watched.

"_Have fun._" The spirit vanished.

_"CURSE YOU!" _Link howled, leaping towards where the spirit was. I watched him, then sat down, waiting for him to calm down.

By the time he finally calmed down, everyone was sitting around a camp fire. Even Arty and Colin were there, which, when there's a wolf going rampant, Arty would usually have some thing she had to finish, and Colin wasn't usually present. Quite a few guards had wandered over as well, watching Link go crazy. Hanako finally got tired of waiting and jumped up, transforming into her wolf form and pouncing on Link, pinning him to the ground.

_"WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF!" _She growled, bitting down on his muzzle. He managed to growl, dispite the sharp rows of teeth muffling him. _"You an embarrassment! Plus, you're supposed to be dead!" _

"I was suposed to be dead a hundred years ago." I pointed out.

_"Shut up, no one asked you." _Hanako growled. Link whimpered something, and she released her grip on his muzzle, before getting off of him and walking away, transforming back into her human form. Link got on his feet and padded over to Ilia, lying down beside her. I shook my head.

"What are we going to do?" Saria spoke. "We have two Links now..."

"Use nicknames or something." Arty was ticked off at something. No one knew exactly what, though.

"Hm..." Ilia bit her lip.

"Lk and Wolf." Hanako crossed her arms. "You can guess which is which."

"Lk?" Ilia asked her.

"L-i-n-k. Since neither knows their last name, call one Lk and the other by something that fits. Lk and Wolf."

"Hm... makes sence... I guess." Saria commented.

"It's better than Kokiri and Wolf" Arty added in.

"Ain't that true..." Ilia muttered.

_"So... anyone got any ideas how to turn me back?" _Link, who from this point on will be refered to as 'Wolf', asked.

"Where's Midna when you need her?" Hanako commented.

"In your shadow." Midna appeared behind Hanako, who nearly fell over in surprise.

"Oh, hey there, Midna!" Hanako laughed nervously. Midna rolled her eyes and floated over to Wolf, the black and orange stone in hand. She held it against his forehead for about a minute.

_"Er... it's not working, Midna." _Wolf said in a 'duh' tone.

"I noticed." Midna tossed the stone into the air then caught it.

"So... he's stuck like this... _again_" Ilia moaned.

_"Hey! At least this time everyone who tried killing me knows what I look like as a wolf." _Wolf grinned as much as he could as a wolf.

"Heh..." Ilia shook her head, remembering the trouble they went through last time Wolf was stuck as a wolf. "You still owe me for saving your skin."

_"Hey! Who helped rescue you from Shama?" _Wolf growled.

"You was knocked unconscious?" Hanako grinned, looking over at him.

_"Oh shut up." _I laughed at him, shaking my head.

"Key word, _helped_" I teased.

"Poor Wolf." Arty shook her head.

"...Arty... isn't today...?" Hanako looked over at Arty, who replied with a distant expression.

"...Yes, it is." Arty stood and looked away, walking off a ways. "I try not to remember anymore, Hanako. The Hylians forgot long ago, I need to move on, too."

"Poor girl." I muttered, shaking my head. "She's lived longer than all of us, and has become the last of her family and race in that time..."

"7113 years, I think." Hanako replied. "Today."

"Woooooooow..." Most of the guards were dumbstruck, and the ones who weren't didn't know how to react.

"Hm..." I nodded.

"Geez... I can't imagine what it's like to live that long..." Ilia muttered.

_"I know... I thought dieing and returning was weird... but living as long as she has..." _Wolf shook his head.

"...How could anyone stand it, anyway?" Midna raised an eyebrow.

"Demtermination, family... promises... All sorts of reasons." I started. "All can keep a person going in life."

"...I'll take your word for it." Midna replied, unconvinced.

_"Ilia..." _Wolf glanced at Colin, who was basically falling asleep. Ilia got up and picked him up.

"I'll be back." She told us before walking towards some tents. Wolf streched with a yawn, and I raised my eyebrow at how wolf-like he really was.

"Maybe we should start calling you the Blue Eyed Beast instead of Hero of Time." I commented.

"He's both, really." Saria commented. "The Twili hero of prophicy, The Blue Eyed Beast, Hylian hero of legend, The Hero of Time. He's also one of The Five Children of Destiny, remember."

"More titles than I could ever claim to." I muttered.

_"Why thank you!" _Wolf barked cheekily. I rolled my eyes, before looking at one of the guards.

"Where are we, anyway?" I asked him. He pointed to some hills in the distance.

"Hyrule's just over those hills, you can see the first sight of Snow Peak on the way to Hyrule from there." He said, before turning back. "The legends say you explored the lands beyond Hyrule, didn't you come out this way?"

"Not this way, no." I replied. "I was actually about to head to Snow Peak when I was killed."

"Kazuya's Curse, they say every Hero of Time has it." He shook his head. "The Alpha Wolfo... I wonder how he struck a deal thousands of years ago with one of the Heroes of the past..."

"Who knows... I never ventured beyond the Afterlife, so I never got to ask." I replied.

_"Kazuya's Curse?" _Wolf asked.

"Lk, you had something telling you of Kazuya, did you fail to do the same for your successor?" The rest of the Ancient Six Sages approached them, it was Impa who had talked.

"I hadn't a chance to tell my son, he was too young when I died." I replied.

"Ah, but you were too young when you were left in the Kokiri Forest, were you not? You were still left a note telling you of Kazuya's curse, and you couldn't have done the same for your own child?"

I hadn't a reply, she was right. I had failed my desendants by not telling them of an ancient vow, now known as Kazuya's Curse. A vow was made by a past hero with the alpha of the Wolfo race. How he managed to even talk to the wolfo, or the wolfo to him, I'm still trying to figure that one out. Long story short, the Wolfo can only be killed if a scar he has on his face is deepened to the point that it splits his skull by a Hero of Time, and he must kill the bloodline before that happens. More like a bet than a vow, if you ask me.

Wolf got to his feet, and streched again just as Ilia returned. He barked at her. She smiled at him, before sitting down.

"So... Link, or Wolf I guess, is stuck as a wolf again, and his stone's not turning him back..." She commented.

"This isn't dark magic, though... if you were to get Princess Zelda to scan him she would find that it's her own bloodline's magic..." Saria closed her eyes. "It's the doing of the spirit of the Seventh Sage." Everyone went quiet, and time seemed to hang for a moment.

"...Fate has ways of getting back at those who tempt it..." Nabooru bit her lip.

"Hm." I nodded, looking up at the stars. "We'll be in Hyrule tomorrow... and we can't have those who know about Link's wolf form see me and him..."

"So... we'll have to have you cloaked and hooded so no one can tell who you are." Hanako replied. I tilted my head at her. "Wolf's so famous people don't need to see him in the green tunic to recongise him, just able to see his face, and you two look _exactly _alike."

"Good point." I muttered, then bit my lip. "None of the guards can tell a _soul, _not even Zelda, of my pressence or what happened. I will do that myself." I told the guards around us. Many nodded their aknowledgement to him, understanding what this would mean if word got out. "And make sure none of the other guards speak." I added. They nodded again. I looked over at Arty, and noticed her looking at a large rock without moving.

"Arty." Impa spoke, and she turned to look at us. Impa simply held a hand out, and Arty glanced at the rock, as if it was something presious to her and she didn't want to part with it, but reluctantly handed it over. The Shadow Sage looked at the rock for awhile, before passing it back to Arty silently. Arty then pocketed the rock and walked towards camp.

"Am I the only one tired?" Saria asked out of the blue.

"Eh... the sooner we go to sleep the sooner we get home. I'm headed to bed." I said before leaving for the camp and into a tent some guards had directed me to. I looked around the canvas tent, before plopping down on a sleeping mat, Wolf comming in a few minutes later.

_"Won't you get severly punished for this?" _He asked me.

"Eh... Farore won't be too extream... then again, I could be wrong." I shrugged. "You, on the other hand, have gotten punishment already."

_"Really? Well, this is quite liveable." _He commented, lying down and yawning, I laughed, before lying down on my back and looking up. We were both silent, before falling asleep.

After Ilia had gone to sleep, nightmares fought their way into her mind.

_"Where are you going this time?" She looked at a shadowy figure in the trees of Faron Woods. _

_"...Away from you. The Five are gone, Ilia, Ordon destroyed, and you're just getting more annoying by the day!" It turned to face her, two sapphire-blue eyes shining through the darkness. Ilia looked down. _

_"But... Link..." _

_"Get lost, Ilia." She then looked at him. _

_"You have become the very thing you were to destroy! You've become your own shadow, Link!" She yelled at him. _

_"So be it." He jumped from the tree and vanished, before barking rang out, and the victorious howl of a wolfo. _

_"I have won! The Hero of Time's bloodline is dead!" A wolfo howled. Ilia fell to her knees as a small wolfo pack darted past through the trees, one with a large scar going from it's right ear, across it's right eye and down to it's muzzle carrying the dead, bloody body of Link's wolf form. It turned to look at her. "He won't be returning this time, Ilia, not after what he did to save Colin's life." It was true... Link was gone, and he wasn't comming back... _


	9. Return of the Wolfo

Author's notes: Alright, let's get back into action. I was hoping to get all my fics updated during the three day weekend but you see how that worked...

Replies:

Jasmine: My apologies for vanishing. I'll keep updating quickly again, but I've currently got three fics in the works, although this is the most popular... I think...

**The Five Alone**

I awoke to Wolf growling at the tent entrance, Ilia crouched blood-covered behind him. I shot to my feet and reached on instinct to beside my sleeping mat, but cursed, remembering that Wolf had the Master Sword when he transformed... and I hadn't a sword of my own with me at that moment. I bit my lip, knowing that Wolf also had found the rest of my weapons in his travels... plus a few extras... then it hit me, there were a few things I kept, and he didn't find... but I had none of them with me...

"CATCH!" Arty's voice rang out. I spun around just in time to catch a Hylian Shield. I nodded to her, and she back to me. Beside her was Hanako, who was in front of Colin.

"Now would be a good time to tell me what happened while I was asleep." I remarked.

"Kazuya." Arty spoke, before slowly taking a few steps towards the tent entrance. "He's come." She then left.

"If she dies..." I paused. "Kazuya dies too..."

"But so do I." Hanako reminded me. "Kazuya has to die, but not by killing Arty. It's not her turn." I nodded then looked at Wolf, knowing that he was trying to protect the other four of the Five Children of Destiny the best he could.

"I'll be back... I must find the Sages." I then left calmly.

Wolf backed up a bit as a wolfo started entering the tent on all fours. Ilia got to her feet, grabbing her gloves from her bag and putting them on. They both turned gold, and she shot a blast of Light Magic at it, causing it to recoil, but not flee. Link leaped out and bit into its neck, and the two started wrestling each other in an battle to be on top. The Wolfo pinned Wolf down, only to get the Blue Eyed Beast's snapping jaws in his face. The Wolfo recoiled, and Wolf started using his back legs to scratch at it's belly, before the wolfo swiped at his shoulder, and left five gashes going from his right shoulder to the side of his neck. Link let out a howl, and the Wolfo ended up with a black wolf smacking into its side, Hanako. Wolf got up, now covered in blood and nodded to Hanako as she glanced back. The two started circling the Wolfo, the three slashing at the other side every once in awhile, not connecting at all, before the Wolfo clawed Link on the face. Link snarled in pain, before leaping at the Wolfo and taking it to the ground, before biting into it's neck and yanking, a sickening CRUNCH rang out in the tent.

_"Hanako! Get Ilia and the others to safety. I'm going to go help out." _Wolf ordered, before darting out of the tent.

He dashed through the camp, where more soldier's bodies lay than Wolfo bodies. He leaped out at a standing Wolfo, which was about to slash at a soldier, and latched on, continuously biting it like he did the Lizalfos he had fought in his last journey. It fell to the ground in a bloody mess, and Wolf walked over to the guard, who had a bad leg injury and couldn't walk. Wolf nudged him, as if offering help. The guard shook his head.

"No thanks, Hero. It is an honour for you to offer, though. I would rather die on the battle field with honour than anywhere and with anything else." The soldier told him. Wolf lowered his head in respect for the soldier's attitude. "But, Hero, I have a request." The guard held out a piece of parchment. "If I don't make it back to Hyrule, could you give this to my family for me? They're currently living in Kakariko." Wolf nodded, and touched his nose to the parchment, and it vanished. "Thank you." The soldier lowered his head, and Wolf did the same, before running off towards a large fight, and a large Wolfo with a deep scar stretching from its right ear, across its eye and to its muzzle. In its claws was the limp body of a dead and bloody soldier, which he dropped upon spotting Wolf.

"The Hero of Time." The Wolfo spoke in Hylian, his voice gruff. "I've been waiting to meet you."

_"You're Kazuya." _Wolf growled.

"I am, Hero. Let's see if you survive a fair fight, you, me, no magic, no friends." Kazuya replied, getting down on all fours.

_"I accept." _Wolf replied, walking up to Kazuya through the crowd of guards, all who only got one side of the conversation. Wolf and Kazuya started circling each other, trying to spot weaknesses in the other. Eventually, Wolf sprung, landing on Kazuya's back and sending then rolling a ways, before they stopped, Kazuya on top. Kazuya slashed mercilessly with his claws, leaving long, deep gashes everywhere but Link's neck. Wolf snapped at Kazuya, and nicked his foreleg as he jumped away. Wolf got up weakly, covered in his own blood. He jumped towards Kazuya, and reached the Wolfo in two bounds, before leaping again and once again landing on the Wolfo's back. Kazuya stood on his hind legs and fell backwards, smashing Wolf under him. Kazuya rolled to the side and got back onto all fours, as Wolf got up weakly.

Kazuya leaped, and put four long gashes the width of his claws across Wolf's back. Link jumped up and met Kazuya, biting his neck. Kazuya yanked away, and landed across the circle the guards had made. Wolf's legs gave out and he collapsed. Kazuya howled, then looked back at him.

"Hm... You've survived... fine, come find me when you regain your true form and take your reward." Kazuya howled again, and then ran off, followed by every Wolfo in the camp.

"Alpha," A wolfo spoke to Kazuya as they ran off. "He was nearly dead, you could've killed him then and there."

"The blood-vow was that I had to try to kill the Hero of Time, he's not the Hero of Time, but the Blue Eyed Beast." Kazuya replied as the pack left the camp towards Hyrule.

Ilia pushed through the crowd of guards, and over to Wolf, kneeling by him and picking his head up. "Link! Link! Say something! Say something!" She begged. Wolf looked at her weakly.

_"I...Ilia..." _Wolf whimpered. Ilia kneeled over him, her face getting so close to his fur she could smell the scent of the trees of Ordon, which his fur always seemed to smell like, well, at least according to the Ordonian animals. Wolf didn't react to it, letting Ilia have her moment to figure out what was going on. Ilia rose, holding onto parts of his fur. He looked up at her. _"Don't... worry..." _

"Link..." She bit her lip. She then released his fur and picked him up, something she had been unable to do before she became one of the Five Children of Destiny. The guards watched her as she walked towards the medical tent. Once there, the doctor stopped her at the entrance.

"Take that flea-bitten mutt away from here!" He pointed away. "I will not have him anywhere near my patients!"

"You dare speak that way about the Hero of Time?" The captian of the guard walked up to them. His armor was blue and trimmed with gold, with the Royal Family pheonix on the breastplate. His hair was brown and messy, his armor and face blood covered. He had a longsword sheathed in a sparkling blue sheath.

"It's okay." Ilia would've bowed, had see not been carrying Wolf. She then glanced at the doctor with a glare. "If Link's too much of a 'flea-bitten mutt' for him to take care of, I'll heal him myself." The doctor blinked in surprise. How could this... girl know anything on how to heal every injury of the wolf's, or figure out the exact extent of his injuries. Before he had a chance to speak, Ilia gave herself leave and walked back to the tent me, Arty and the Five Children of Destiny had shared the night before. She laid Wolf down on his mat, and started searching the area for her bag, knowing that she had some bandages in there. She found it stuffed with everyone else's bags, and took it, darting back over to Wolf. She grabbed a bowl and a red potion, knowing that it wouldn't heal everything, but would get whatever she wouldn't notice.

"Link," She stroked Link's fur, and he glanced up at her.

_"I'm not really a wolf, Ilia. You can stop petting me." _He commented.

"Sorry," Ilia pulled her hand away quickly. She poured the red potion into the bowl. "Can you drink this for me?" She asked him, looking him in the eyes. She pushed the bowl towards him, and he raised his head just enough so that he could lap the red potion. Ilia smiled. "You claim not to be a dog, but you're acting more like one everyday." She commented with a grin. Link stopped drinking and raised an eyebrow at her. She let out a laugh before he continued to lap down the potion.

When he finished, he had enough strength to walk around, and Ilia bandaged up the remaining gashes on his back, making his entire back and stomache bandaged. Wolf barked in satisfaction while he slowly walked in a circle in a 'chasing the tail' kind of way. He stopped, facing her.

_"Thanks, Ilia." _He nudged her hand in a dog like way.

"It's okay, Link." Ilia laughed, crouching down to his eye level.

_"Lets go talk to the others, they're probably worried about us." _Wolf said to her. Ilia nodded and got up, heading outside. He followed at her pace, walking beside her through the camp. Most of the bodies had been picked up, and a guard had taken a letter to the postman requesting assistance. If we had been in Hyrule then we would've had help already, because word would've been a river, rushing through Hyrule, but, being over the hills and out of sight, no one of Hyrule knew we were even here.

"I wonder what happened to Wolf..." Saria commented, staring deep into the dancing flames of the campfire. We (me, Rauru, Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa and Nabooru) were all, with the exception of Nabooru, Impa and Darunia, were sitting on logs around a campfire.

"Last I heard he was refused from the medical tent for being, quote, 'A flea-bitten mut'." Nabooru told her.

"I wonder how he's doing..." I muttered.

Wolf barked as he and Ilia walked towards us, and we all looked at them in surprise. Wolf was at Ilia's side like an obedient pet.

"Wolf!" Saria exclaimed in surprise.

"Kid! You made it through!" I was in utter shock. Word had reached me about his fight with the "giant scarred wolfo", and I didn't think he'd survive as a wolf... Heck, I didn't even survive as a Hylian, how could he survive as a wolf? The kid proved me wrong.

_"Of course I did!" _He barked proudly.

"You're walking!" Nabooru was wide-eyed.

"Red potion's a life savor." Rauru spoke.

"I believe that." I muttered.

"Never go anywhere unprepared." Ilia gave the 'V' for victory.

_"You'd think I would've packed SOMETHING along the basis of red potion..." _Wolf said under his breath.

"You did have some weird gold jelly... not sure what that is..." Ilia commented.

_"You didn't tip it out, did you?" _Wolf looked at her.

"No, I left it. Why?" Ilia asked.

_"Because it's something that was really difficult to get in a room full of chus." _He replied, turning away. Ilia blinked in confusion, but didn't press the subject.

"So, we're heading home today..." I commented. "I'll stay in a cloak until we talk to the princess, that way I'm not mistaken for you."

"But..." Something hit Ilia. "If Link doesn't return with the group... what will the townsfolk think?"

"ILIA!" A man's voice rang from the other side of the camp.

"Who?" I asked.

"Someone we haven't seen for a month." Ilia replied, expression calm and collected.


	10. Dusk, no wait, TWILIGHT

Author's notes: So... I wasn't a big fan of how I left off in the last chapter... it got dull very quickly...

Replies:

Jasmine: That? Ah... I guess I didn't explain it very well in A Wolf in the Fall of Dusk... Hanako is supposed to be Arty's shadow version, and have a connection where whatever happens to one happens to the other, so if Arty dies, Hanako does to. If Arty gets an injury, Hanako gets the same one on her.

**The Five Alone**

Ilia turned to face The Group members as they ran towards them, all but Telma, who wasn't present.

"Ilia!" Came the shout again from Rusl.

"Hey Rusl." Ilia smiled as The Group stopped next to her. Shad looked between me and Wolf in confusion. "Don't ask, Shad." Ilia said dully.

"Which is the real Link?" Shad asked.

"They're both real." Ilia rolled her eyes. "We have the Ordonian Link," She pointed to Wolf. "And the race-confused guy over there." She pointed at me.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. _Race-confused? _Sheesh.

"Oh shut up." She snapped.

_"She gets really moody..." _Wolf said to me.

"I heard that." Ilia snapped. Ashei blinked.

"Where's Colin?" Rusl asked out of the blue.

"Look behind you." Ilia pointed behind Rusl, where Hanako, still in her wolf form, was running towards them with Colin at her side.

"Father!" Colin cried out as he stopped beside his father.

"Hey, Colin." Rusl ruffled his son's hair. Wolf blinked, feeling a strange... familiar feeling.

_"Hanako!" _He barked.

_"What?" _Hanako tilted her head.

_"Something's not right..." _

_"Twilight." _Hanako cursed. Wolf nodded.

_"And not dusk, either." _He muttered.

"Let's go!" A guard yelled. "All who fought, return to Hyrule. Everyone else, stay here."

"Let's go." Ilia got up, and everyone started walking towards Hyrule. Impa handed me a brown hooded cloak, which I quickly put on and put the hood up.

_"They don't know about Twilight!" _Hanako stopped. _"Link, what'll we do?" _

_"Talk to the Light Spirit and go from there." _Wolf replied calmly.

_"I forgot," _Hanako stopped. _"You've done this before." _Wolf nodded with as much as a shrug as he could do. We all stopped at the top of the hills, looking at Hyrule. Ilia pointed to a blackish yellow veil over the Lanayru Province, stopping us from going any further.

"Look!" She exclaimed.

_"Twilight..." _Wolf growled, then Midna appeared beside him.

"Hm... are we going in?" She asked him with a grin. Wolf barked affermitive. "That's what I thought... let's just find the curtain, go in, get the Tears of Light and come out."

"Wait, what?" Ilia blinked.

_"We're going to get rid of this yellowish veil."_ Wolf translated.

"I'm going!" Ilia exclaimed.

"Ilia... I don't thi-" Midna was cut off.

"I can fend for myself now, Midna." Ilia crossed her arms.

_"Midna, let's take the others, just so they understand what happened." _Wolf spoke, and Ilia translated.

"Fine." Midna rolled her eyes. "You owe me, buster." Midna glared. They all walked up to the veil, quickly finding the curtain. Midna floated up to it. "You sure?"

"Yes." Ilia replied. Midna touched the curtain and vanished, before an orange hand grabbed Wolf, Ilia, Colin, Hanako and The Group in.

* * *

Wolf streached, looking around. There were five spirits floating around, but what surprised Wolf was that Ilia and Colin weren't spirits.

"Geez..." Ilia muttered. Link sensed the area, listening to The Group's conversation.

"Where's the others?" Shad asked.

"They... they completely vanished!" Rusl looked around.

"What's going on?" Ilia asked.

_"I can see them, but they can't see us. They think we've dissapeared. This is what happened to everyone. I watched Colin and the other Ordon children hide in Renado's house, I watched you and Telma with Prince Ralis in Telma's bar." _Wolf told her, looking away from The Group. _"They are unaware that they are in spirit forms." _He added.

"Oh..." Ilia blinked, before repeating everything Wolf said to Colin.

"So it was you who saved us." Colin gripped onto Wolf's fur. He nodded. "Thank you." Colin whispered.

"Alright," Midna spoke up. "Let's get to Lake Hylia... before the Shadow Beasts eat The Group." She then sat on Wolf's back.

"Erm... lead the way, Link." Ilia blinked. Wolf barked and darted off ahead.

_"Think Midna meant that?" _Hanako asked.

"No, no I don't." Ilia replied, before they started to follow Wolf and Midna. Ilia glanced back at the spirits, before jogging to catch up.

_"Midna, can you just warp us there or something?" _Wolf asked, panting. Midna looked at Ilia.

"He asked if you could warp us there." Ilia translated.

"You really need to start signaling the way you did the first time this happened." Midna commented to Link. "But, I guess I could..." She paused, and then warped them all to Lake Hylia. When they arrived, Ilia looked a bit dizy, and nearly fell into the lake, if Hanako hadn't gotten behind her and caught her.

_"Alright, let's go." _Wolf started towards the water and jumped in. Ilia moaned but dove in head first as her gloves turned blue. Colin sat down on the ground.

"I'll wait here for you." He told them.

"Alright, Hanako, stay with him, please." Ilia said after she surfaced. She then dived again and swam after Wolf, who was on his way to Lanayru's Spring. They climbed up onto the land in front of the spring, and slowly entered, spotting a glittering golden light hovering over the water.

"Hero... He attacks... your shadow... has taken control... of the Twilight." Lanaryu's voice replied.

_"I take it that this isn't as simple as killing bugs, then." _Wolf commented.

"Correct... Blue Eyed Beast... find the Princess... with her help... you will restore light to all of Hyrule."

"Wait, are you telling us that the entire kingdom is covered in Twilight?" Midna asked.

"Yes... Twilight Princess."

"Fun." Groaned Minda sarcastically.

"Go... Hanako needs you." The light then faded away.

"Colin!" Ilia turned and hightailed it, followed by Wolf. They dove into the water and swam as quickly as they could, and once they were on land they ran towards Colin and Hanako, who were being attacked by three Shadow Beasts. Wolf darted up to them, and Midna made that circle around them, and he jumped from one to the next, attacking each on the way. When he landed, he looked over at Colin, who was unscratched, then to Hanako, who had a single gash on her face.

_"Thanks, Hanako." _Wolf said to her as he walked over to Colin, whom Ilia was helping to his feet.

_"Not a problem." _Hanako replied, before looking up.

_"What?" _Wolf asked her.

_"Oh, nothing." _Hanako shook her head.

_"Midna, mind warping us?" _Wolf turned his head to look at the Twilight Princess.

"You want warped again?" Midna asked and Wolf nodded. "Fun... where to?"

_"What's the closest warp point to Castle Town?" _Wolf asked and Ilia repeated the question.

"Practially at one of the gates." Midna replied dully. "I don't see how you forgot." She commented, before warping them all.

* * *

Author's notes: I hope I got the portals right... if not, oh well.


End file.
